Spacing device for pneumatic dispatch systems



May 18 1926.

J. G. MACLAR EN SPACING DEVICE FOR PNEUMATIC DISPATCH SYSTEMS OriginalFiled March 26, 1920 Patented May 18, 1925.

STATES PATENT QFFI CE.

JAMES MAGLA'REN, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOE, BY MESNE ASSIGN-MENTS, T0 THE-LAMSON COMPANY A CORPORATION 05 MIASSACHUSETTS.

SPACIN- DEVICE FOR PNEUMATIC DISPATCH SYSTEMS.

Original application filed March 26, 1920, Serial No. 369,084.

application filed March 11, 1825.

This invention pertains to conveyor ap paratus and more particularly tomeans for spacing articles moving in succession along a "predeterminedpath, the present application being a division of my pendingapplicationSerial No. 369,084 filed March 26, 1920, re- .newed March 9, 1925.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a spacing device ofsimple character operable by each article 01"- a series temporarily tostop the next successive article. Such an arrangement is especiallyuseful in conjunction with switch or deflector means for divertingarticles from their normal path as the device of the present inventionprovides the necessary interval -for resetting the switch or otherdiverting means after each operation thus preventing the diverting meansfrom becoming jammed by a second article closely following the first.

The invention is herein illustrated by way of example as embodied inapneumatic dispatch system wherein carricrs'are propelled through a tubeby air pressure but in its broader aspects pertains to conveyor systemsin general in which articles move successively along a predeterminedpath.

In the accompanying; drawings Fig. 1 is a fraqmentary vertical diametralsection through a pneumatic transmission tnbe show ing a preterred formof the invention as interposed between aligned sections of such tube andFig. 2 is a similar view illustrating a modified form 01" the invention.

Referring to thefdrawings and particularly to 1 thenumerals 1 and:Zindicate separated aligned sections of a pneumatic transmission tube.A casing 3 is interposed ietween these sections, such casing being ofgenerally tubular construction and providec with means, for exam aleflanges l and 5, for connecting its opposite ends to the tube sections 1and 2.

This tubular casing thus provides a chamber or -passage 6 aligned withthetube sections 1 and 2 and adapted to guide carriers from one sectionto the other. The casing 3 is provided with a lateral. offset 7 at oneside providinga recess Sior a purpose hereinafter described.

The casing isalso, provided with an ottset Renewed March 9,1925. Dividedand this Serial No. 1%,692.

portion 9 substantially, opposite to .the'ofiset 7 furnishingasecondrecess 10 adapted to house a stop lever 11.

This stop lever is preferably, though not necessarily, of unitaryconstruction and comprisesspaced cars 12 pivotally secured by means ofpins 13' to the opposite walls of the casing.

on an are about the axis defined by pins 13 as av center. The lever 11also comprises an actuating portion 15 preferably substantially straightand normally extendily in aninclined direction transversely of thepassage 6. Preferably the weight of the lever 11 is so disposed that itscenter oi gravity lies to the right of the vertical plane 01' the pivotpins 13.

The upper part of the recess 10'istnrnished with a butter 16 of suitablematerial, for example telt, against which the upper part of the stoplever normally rests. A second buffer or cushion 17 is arranged the lov81 part of the recess 10 for engagement by lower end 15 of the stoplever when the latter is in operative position.

The operation of this device is substanth-ib vly as follows the partsbeing normally in the full lined position ofl ig. 1

When a carrier C enters the casing through the tube section 1 itsadvancingend freely passes the edge of the stop member liandevei'itua-lly engages the inclin d. arm 150-5 the stop lever. This armimmediately swings substantially into the dotted line position otFig. 1and itsupper end 14 engages the upper or following end oi the cari'icrand thruststhe latter over into the cess 8 thus providing an angularspace 'just below the lower end of the next ad- V This lever is providedwith a head or stop element 1 1 preferably curved a modified arrangementis disclosed in which the tube sections 1 and 2 correspond to the tubesections above described. A tubular casing 3 connects the sections 1 and2, such casing being furnished with flanges i and 5* for the receptionof said ends of the said tube sections. The interior of the casingfurnishes a passage 6 for carriers on their way from one tube section tothe other.

The casing S is furnished with a latera offset providing a recess 8 andat its opposite side the casing is provided with a vertical slot 18 andwith outstanding ears 19 at either side of said slot. The cars 19furnish bearings for a shaft 20 provided with a series of radiallyoutstanding arms 21, 22, 23 etc, adapted to project inwardly through theslot 18 of the casing. A plate 2% is secured to the shaft and togglearms 25 and 26 are hinged at diametra ly opposite points to said plate.These toggle arms 25 and 26 are provided with weights 27 and 28 at theirouter ends and are connected by toggle links not shown to a frictionplate 29 sliding freely upon the shaft 20. An abutment member 30 issupported by one of the arms 19 in a position for engagement by thefriction plate as the latter moves along the shaft. The friction platewith the toggle arms and weights furnishes a brake, of the type commonlyused in phonographs, for controlling the speed of rotation of the shaft20.

The operation of this form of the device is follows: it being assumedthat the arm 21 is on the point of leaving the slot 18 and that the arm22 occupies the position shown in Fig. 2, projecting into the casingthrough the upper part of the slot. lVhen a carrier, for example thatindicated at K in dotted lines in Fig. 2, enters the upper part of thecasing it engages the projecting end of the arm 22 and moves said armdownwardly along the slot 18. its the arm 22 approaches trio positionformerly occupied by the arm 21 the next successive arm 23 will enterthe slot 18 and engage the upper end of the carrier throwing such upperend into the position K of Fig. 2. The speed of rotation of the arm 92is controlled by the friction governor device, excessive speed beingprevented by contact of the friction disk 29 with the abutment 30.

When a carrier assumes the position shown at K in Fig. 2 it is free toslide down past the end of an arm occupying the position of arm 21, andmay thus enter the tube section. 2, but whenever a carrier has beenthrust into the position of that at K, the next successive carrier isprevented from followi the first carrier too closely by the entrance ofanother arm through the upper end of the slot. The device thus comprisesa spacing and timing mechanism compelling the carriers to move throughthe tube section 2 at regular intervals apar.

While I have described profs red embodiients of the invention it is tobe understood that in its broad aspects the invention is not confined tothe specific details herein dis-tclosed but that various changes andmodifications both in proportions of arrangements thereof may be mad.

departing from the spirit of the in' .'en:iicn.

I claim:

1. in a conveyor system the combination with means for guiding movingarticles in a predetermined path, of means aetuable by the advancing endof an article along said path to swing the folloning end of said articlelaterally of said path whereby to provide a recess at one of saidfollowing end for the entry of a stop element and simultaneously torelease said advancing end for continued movement along he predeterminedpath.

2. In combination with a pneumatic conveyor system having a guideway forcan riers, saic guideway having a lateral clo ed recess adaptedpartially to receive a a rim" therein, means actuable by the advanc' ofa carrier moving along said guide pushing the following end of thecarrier laterally into the recess.

In combination with a pneumatic conveyor system having spaced tubesections, a casing connecting the ends of said sections, said casinghaving a carrier passage therethrough, a recess being provided at oneside of the passage adapted partially to receive a carrier therein, andmeans actuable by the advancing end of a carrier moving along saidpassage for pushing the following end of the carrier laterally into saidrecess.

l. Carrier spacing apparatus for a pneumatic dispatch system comprisinga casing providing a passage for carriers and a recess opening from oneside of the passage adapted partially to receive a carrier therein, andmeans comprising a swinging arm engageable with the advancing end of acarrier moving through the passage, and a second arm en agealiile withthe following end of said carrier for swinging he latter laterally intothe recess. I

Carrier spacing apparatus for a pneumatie dispatch system comprising acasing providing passage for carriers, and means movable by theadvancing end of one caroving rier of a series moving through saidpassage to advance a stop in the path of the advancing end of the nextcarrier of the series, the advancing stop pushing the following end ofthe first carrier into a recess in the casing to one side or the passageproper and simultaneously retracting the means engaged by the advancingend 01 the carrier, thereby to permit continued movement oi the carrierthrough the passage.

(3. Carrier spacing apparatus for a pneumatic dispatch system comprisingmeans movable by one carrier of a series to advance a stop into the pathof the next carrier, said stop tending to move out of said path underthe weight of said next carrier.

7. Carrier spacing apparatus for a pneu matic dispatch system comprisinga casing providing a passage for carriers, said casing having a recessat one side, and a lever pivoted upon an axis extending transversely ofthe passage, said lever comprising a stop arm and an actuating arm, thelever being so designed that when in normal position its stop arm is outoi'the passage and housed in the recess and when in operative positionwith the stop arm in said passage, the actuating arm is retracted,thereby to permit continued movement of the carrier.

8. Carrier spacing apparatus for a pneumatic dispatch system comprisinga casing providing a passage for carriers, said ca ing having recessesat opposite sides of the iassage, a stop member normally housed in oneof Si id recesses, an actuating member normally disposed across thepassage and engageable by the advancing end of a carrier to move thestop member into the pas-- sage, the advancing end of the stop memberpushing the following end of the carrier over into the other recess andsimultaneously retracting the actuating member thereby to permitcontinued movement of the carrier.

9. Carrier spacing apparatus comprising a unitary lever movable y onecarrier of a series to check a following carrier, said lever having astop arm of arcuate curvature.

l0. Carrier spacing apparatus comprising a unitary stop lever having anactuatii'i arm engageable by the advancing end of one carrier of aseries and a stop arm engageable with the advancing end oi the carrier,said stop arm being curved in an arc concentric with the fulcrum pointof the lever.

11. Carrier spacing apparatus for a pneuiia ic dispatch systemcon'iprising a lever having an actuating arm movable by one carrier of aseries to advance a second or stop arm into the path of the nextcarrier. and a fulcrum for said lever, the center of gravity of thelever and the point of engagement of its stop arm with the next carrierof the series being disposed upon the same side of the vertical plane ofits uh cruin.

l2. Carrier spacing apparatus comprising a casing providing a passagefor carriers, said casing having recesses at opposite sides of thepassage, a lever pivoted upon an axis extending transversely across thepassage, said lever having a stop arm normally housed in one recess andan actuating arm normally extending into the passage, the engagementoi"- the advancing end of one carrier of a series with said actuatingarm swinging the stop arm out of its recess and the actuating arm intothe same recess, the advance of the stop arm swinging the following endof said carrier into the other recess.

Signed by me at Syracuse, New York, 28th day of February, 1925.

JAMES G. MACLAREN.

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